


Hesitation

by TotalFanFreak



Series: My Sweet Pup [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 7x10, Complex feelings, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Gentleness, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 02:25:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9857825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotalFanFreak/pseuds/TotalFanFreak
Summary: [An excerpt for My Sweet Pup, for 7x09-7x10 AU]





	

_**Hesitation** _

_**[An excerpt for My Sweet Pup, for 7x09-7x10 AU]** _

Daryl woke up alone. Normally this wouldn’t bother him; having slept alone a good majority of his life, but recently had become used to a warm body lying next to him. It took him a few moments to become alert, his senses picking up on the noises from the adjoining bathroom.

“Y/N? You alright?”

The only reply that came was the sound of you retching, and Daryl couldn’t help but cringe. He had seen people be mangled, shot, decapitated, and eaten alive without batting an eye at it, of course it affected him, but those sounds you made and being in discomfort, disturbed him. Especially since he knew he couldn’t take it away. Getting up he threw on the jeans he had discarded on the floor last night and ambled into the bathroom. He watched as you seized up for a second, and he knew embarrassed by your state. He took in the hair plastered to your face by sweat, and the way you were gulping air through your mouth. You turned away, placing your head on the rim of porcelain. Chewing the inside of his cheek he got a washcloth and wet it, bending down with it to wipe your forehead.

“Thank you, Daryl.”

He grunted in response, and felt his ears heat up when you smiled. He didn’t know how it happened, how you crawled inside of him until he cracked open, but you did, and he didn’t hate it. It was odd to care for someone like this, yeah, he’d protect his family at all costs, but this, you, it surpassed tremendously and it faltered him. He looked away as you leaned back, taking the washcloth and wiping the sweat from your face and neck.

“I’m doing better. I was trying to get up early enough to go jogging with the soldiers –“

“I don’t think ya need to be doing that just yet.”

“I know, a day with the bow and arrows it is then.”

He couldn’t help but smile at that, you were good, better than good if he were to be honest, and it stunned him that you hadn’t touched a bow since you were around seven.

“My grandfather loved to shoot, he was like Robin Hood to me I guess. He didn’t steal from anybody or anything. He was just a good shot.”

“Taught ya well.”

He still hadn’t gotten used to your smiles, but he could tell how that prick had named you sunshine. Those smiles could set the woods on fire.

“Will you shoot with me?”

He nodded, putting his hands under your arms to help you stand. You turned in his grasp, making it hard for him to breathe. Shyly glancing to him, you brushed the strands away from his face, the touch alone making his skin crackle.

“Let me brush my teeth and we’ll go.”

“Need to eat.”

“Oh, well, I can meet you outside the mess area.”

He snorted. “You need to eat too, woman.”

You looked down. “I guess I should. Stomach’s never up for it lately.”

He felt you jerk a little as his hand went under your shirt, laying palm down on your stomach. To the untrained eye it would appear flat, but Daryl could see the slope starting to form. The slope containing a child, his child. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that. And it made his insides squirm to think he had two lives to protect. He exhaled deep, as he was pulled to you, feeling your hands touch the straggly hair on his neck. You both stood like that for a minute, and he already felt empty as you pulled away to get your toothbrush. Letting you have some privacy, he sat at the foot of the bed and put on his boots. Done he went to draw back the curtain to look out the window. Ezekiel had given the two of you a room on the upper floors of the main house, Daryl wasn’t sure he liked that, in case of an attack, but it was good to have the view of the land. Many of the people were already up and about, the soldiers you wanted to join making laps, people uncovering the crops so the frost wouldn’t get them, some carrying barrels of laundry to hang on the community line.

“Ready?”

He nodded before turning to you. Your color was off, he didn’t want to say anything though, you knew it, but the image of you in bed – frail and delirious came up in his head. It faded as he felt your hands again, hesitant, before leaning up to kiss his cheek. Your whole face was red when you pulled away.

“Sorry, I was wanting to do that earlier, but with my breath, I wanted –“

He couldn’t help but clench his fist, his nerves jumping. “Ya ain’t got to apologize for that. You don’t got to ask neither. Should know I don’t mind it by now.”

You nodded, letting him lead the way. He watched you struggled through breakfast. Those hiccups he got used to hearing before you purged coming up, but you didn’t, swallowing the watery oats down.

“They don’t taste bad.”

“Hmm.”

He couldn’t help but look down when he saw your teeth flash. “Tell you what, you take your time, be contemplative, I’m going to have a head start and practice. Maybe we can compete to see who can hit the most targets when you’re done.”

He could tell you wanted to lighten the mood, the tension building since Rick and them left you both here, so he nodded, not wanting to bring you down because he was pissed.

“It’ll be okay, Daryl.”

He had ran into Morgan on his way out, his anger higher now, fucker not wanting to step up, saying Carol had ran away from all of them. She’d be the first one at that damn factory, guns blazing, if she knew what happened with them.

That’s why she left.

Fuck him. It wasn’t the people count they needed, what they needed was an armory. Rounding the corner, he made it to the archery grounds and saw you standing behind the young girl from yesterday. Poor girl had to use a stool to shoot, her legs somehow not functional. He watched you, position the bow in her arms, helping her tilt her body to pull the string back. Letting the arrow go, it hit close to the middle, the grin on yours and the girl’s face showing it was an improvement. Heading closer he was stopped by one of the soldiers. Richard.

“Your girl’s a good teacher.”

Daryl stared at the man.

“I watched her for a little bit, she’s a good shot. Glad to have someone who can teach the younger ones something. She told me you used to use a crossbow.”

His eyes widened on that one, he didn’t know how you knew about that.

“Found this, guess kept anyone from claiming it in case the right person came along.”

He saw the weapon in the man’s hand, holding it out to him like a peace offering. It wasn’t his, but it was still a nice piece.

“Why ya think I want it?”

“Because we both want the same things.”

Richard nodded towards you. “We want to keep the people we care about safe.”

Taking the bow, Daryl hefted it in his arms, getting a feel for it.

“If you want I know a place to stake out, where their people come by all the time. We can get something done, get the King to see that we need to step up.”

This is exactly the opening Daryl was looking for, he wanted to do something, he wanted this done and over with to get you somewhere safe. Somewhere to raise the baby, his baby, he wanted to give you both a home. He nodded to the soldier, asking for a minute as he walked to you.

“Hey.”

You grinned at him. “Hey, I see you found the crossbow, ready to get whupped?”

He couldn’t help but smile, it disappearing as he scratched his chin. “How’d ya know I could use one?”

Your face froze, a look of shame crossing your eyes before turning back to the target. “Dwight. I-I know the one he has is yours. I’m sorry I didn’t get it before coming.”

“Don’t be worryin’ about that shit, got another one didn’t I?”

You nodded, but didn’t look satisfied. He stepped a little closer.

“Would ya be mad if I left for a while? Sumthing’s come up that could help us.”

He had gestured behind him where Richard was waiting and you looked over his shoulder at the man.

“You won’t get hurt will you?”

“Try my best not to, Finch.”

“Good. Yeah, it’s fine, you can always lose another time.”

The comment made him snort. He could tell you were disappointed, just finding each other and him up and leaving already, but he knew you understood.

“We’ll see, woman, stay in town, don’t get into any trouble.”

“Same to you.”

He wasn’t sure what to do, he wasn’t good with affection, but he wanted to ease you. He could kiss you, hug you, something, hell a handshake might be okay, instead he left with a nod, finally getting out of Ezekiel’s damn insane asylum.

It was after dark when he got back, and if he were honest with himself he was a little afraid to go to bed. He was still reeling from the day’s events. Richard’s plan to kill the Saviors and having their deaths pinned on Carol, actually finding Carol, out in a little cottage in the woods like she was fucking Goldilocks or something. When he had knocked on the door he had wanted to be mad at her, furious, turning tail and running, turning her back on them. But when he saw her he broke down, everything tumbling, his best friend, one of the very few people to see him with his guard down. He couldn’t tell her about Glenn and Abraham, couldn’t tell her any of the bad stuff, instead opting out and telling her about you.

 

**_Gif by stereowave_ **

“So Daryl Dixon is off the market?”

He nodded, putting another heap of stew in his mouth.

“She’s one lucky girl.”

He didn’t know about that, though he knew better than to argue.

“I feel pretty damn lucky too. You gonna come around more?”

“I don’t know, Daryl.”

“Better, when she has the baby –“

Carol had choked then, sputtering before laughing, her eyes rounder than he’d ever seen.

“A baby? You’re having a baby? My God, Daryl, I never thought I’d hear that. Congratulations.”

“Thanks, maybe I could bring her out here, you two can talk, something. Neither of us are sure what we’re doing.”

“You will, like hunting, you get instincts for it.”

“Hmmm.”

“I’m so happy for you, Daryl, you treat her well, and have her treat you the same, I’ll come after one of you if you don’t.”

“Wouldn’t mind ya to any damn way.”

She kept hugging him after that, in as much disbelief as him, not only did he have someone, but she was giving him a child. Now he was sitting in front of a tiger’s cage, watching it watch him as it stalked up and down the small enclosure.

 

“I didn’t expect to find you in here.”

He turned seeing you in the doorway, a little sheepish, as you held a bucket of what had to be meat.

“Can’t leave this damn cat alone can ya?”

You smiled, knowing he was teasing. He had noted how enthralled you had been the moment you stepped into the theater and saw her.

“I was worried about you.”

“Sorry, after going out, I went to look for my friend.”

“Carol?”

He nodded.

“Did you find her?”

He nodded again, and though it was solemn, he felt relief.

“I’m glad. I could tell it hurt you not knowing how she was. So did everything go well?”

He shrugged going over and taking the bucket for you. It was then Shiva rubbed herself against the bars between the two of you, purring until Daryl reached out and pet her.

“Kindred spirits.”

He didn’t understand, looking up at you and seeing tears in your eyes.

“Don’t cry, only a damn cat.”

You laughed, tears spilling as you propelled yourself to him.

“I’m so sorry, Daryl.”

“What you got to be sorry for?”

“Keeping you in a cage for so long, I feel so ashamed about that, if I had made my mind up sooner, or if I could’ve made you. You wouldn’t have had to suffer so much and for that I’m sorry.”

Though part of his brain told him to stay froze, the other part won out and he went to you, pulling you close to him as his chin rested on your head.

“What’d I tell you before Finch? Told ya it was up to me when I wanted to go. You didn’t do nothing wrong, you were the only thing there worth a damn.”

“Never again, Daryl, no matter what I won’t let it happen again. I know I can’t choose sides but when it comes to you and our family, I’m going choose you ever single time. No matter what.”

He wasn’t used to this. Someone choosing him over everything else, he liked it, at the same time being terrified.

“I’ll choose you too, Finch.”

He looked down at you, intrigued at how the remaining tears magnified your eyes.

“I know we’re still getting to know each other, and I know you’re not much for PDA and all that, but I do love you Daryl. My sweet wolf.”

He snorted, feeling daring enough to pull your hips closer to his. “Careful there Finch, wolves get hungry ya know?”

He paused a minute, his teeth clicking in anxiety. “I love ya, too. Don’t forget that.”

He watched as if in a daze as you leaned up, lips touching his, and he felt his body go lax. It went on for a few minutes, letting himself feel his way around you, figuring out how far he could go before a low growl was heard next to you both. Daryl looked at the tiger, lying on its front paws as it continued to grumble at you both. He turned back at your giggle.

“If a couple were making out in front of my window I suppose I wouldn’t be happy either. Maybe we should go home?”

He weighed down on that question. Home? Here? Feeling you against him, every bone and muscle relaxed in this embrace, placing his face in your hair to inhale your scent. Yeah he was home, because he was with you.


End file.
